Two more emergency decrees lead to abolition of the rectoral elections and shutdown of 15 media organs

Two more emergency decrees have been published in the Official Journal on Saturday. With these new decrees, 10,158 public servants have been sacked and 15 media organs are shut down. 

Rectoral elections are abolished

The procedure for assigning rectors to universities is changed. According to the new arrangement, in public universities, the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) will recommend candidates and the president will select one of three candidates, who have been working as a professor at least for 3 years.

If the selected rector is not assigned within a month and YÖK does not recommend new candidates within 15 days, then the president would directly assign a rector.

A rector will serve for 4 years. In public universities, a rector will be able to serve only for 2 terms. In private universities, board of overseers will make a proposition to YÖK and the president will assign the rectors after the approval of YÖK.

Media organs

15 newspapers, 2 news agencies and 3 periodicals, including Evrensel Kültür Dergisi, Tîroj, Özgürlük Dünyası, Dicle Haber Ajansı, Yüksekova Haber, JİNHA and Azadiya Welat, have been shut down with the recent emergency decree.

The first reaction against the shut-down of the media organs came from HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş: “The only newspaper in Kurdish and the only women's news agency in the world have been shut down. From now on, all TV channels will go live, when Erdoğan coughs or something.”

10,158 people have been sacked

10,158 public servants have been sacked with no way of returning to the public service. They also won't be allowed to work in private security firms.

1267 academics have been sacked

Prof. Mehmet Altan and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zeynep Kıvılcım, who are currently arrested, are also sacked with the recent decree. A total of 1267 academics have been sacked by the recent decree.